Getting cat5e and aerial coax cable into man cave

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Graeme McClinton

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This may not be the best subforum for this, but there isn't a perfect fit as far as I can see.

I've just moved into a house that has had an extension done. The kitchen has been extended, and above this on the first floor a new bedroom has been added. This will be my man cave.

I want to put an ethernet socket and an aerial socket in.

The problem I have is that from the attic, there is no access to the roofspace cavity above the man cave, and I want to run the cables from the attic to the far end of the man cave.

My partial plan is to drill a hole through the eave wall into the new roofspace cavity, and make a hole in the ceiling in the man cave to drop the cables down. I would then surface mount the sockets, as I think I would have to make to much mess to get them flush mounted.

My problem is, how do I get the cables across this cavity blind?

I have made a hole big enough in the ceiling to get my hand up holding a smartphone , so I could either take pictures, or maybe even find an app that could get me a live video feed. Maybe periscope could do it?

(However, the insulation here has a clear polythene base to it which I was reluctant to cut if there is no chance of me achieving this.)

Any ideas how I could get the cables across the gap?

Would something like fish tape work? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_tape

Not sure how rigid this is.
 
How far is the hole in the ceiling from the eves wall ? A 3 metre length wooden dowel will work if the distance is about 2 metres. Aim the hole in the eves wall in the direction of the hole in the ceiling and make it large enough to allow dowel to be swung from side to side to allow for bad aim when drilling. Tie string to the end of the dowel with a tangle of loose loops at the end held with Sellotape or cotton and push through. Have some one push a stick with a cup hook in the end up from the man cave. Swing the dowel side to side until it hits the stick, then try to hook the string loops with the cup hook and pull it down into the man cave. The sellotape / cotton should snap to release enough loops to get it into the man cave;

Longer than 2 metres then join two lengths of dowel.
 
Have you got a tent hidden away somewhere?
The poles (if those 18" elastic joined ones) make a great fish, you can pull the laccy tight and push them through one at a time until you get the length, if needs be slap a bit of insulting tape around the joints.

Or consider putting a length of 20-10mm pvc pipe (waste pipe) through the gap so it's easier to send new cables through it than having to fish each time.

But seriously - you have a big void? Thats space - space can always be used for some storage :)
 
Faced with getting a cable across a wide suspended factory ceiling that was considered not safe to walk on the company used a cross bow marksman to fire a bolt with trailing line across the void.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

I used to have a tent, but my camping days are long past, so I've gone with the dowel plan.

Hopefully it won't be *too* painful!
 
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